1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to image forming apparatuses and adjusting methods of the image forming apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet recording apparatus, for example, is known as an image forming apparatus such as a printer, facsimile, copier or a multiple function processing machine of the printer, facsimile, and copier. In the above-mentioned inkjet recording apparatus, while a recording medium is conveyed, a liquid drop of recording liquid (hereinafter “ink drop”) is adhered to the recording medium by using a recording head (image forming part) having a liquid jet head configured to jet the liquid drop of the recording liquid, so that image forming such as recording or printing is performed. Hereinafter, the recording medium is called a paper or transferred material. However, there is no limitation of material for the paper or the transferred material.
Meanwhile, as discussed in Japan Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 11-348373, an inkjet recording apparatus having the following structure is known. In this apparatus, a carriage having a recording head and a conveying belt for conveying paper are provided and a gap regulating member is vertically displaced to vertically move the conveying belt so that a gap between the conveying belt and the recording head of the carriage is regulated.
In addition, as discussed in Japanese Patent No. 2629230, a paper transport apparatus having the following structure is known as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. In this apparatus, a paper which has caused a paper jam is surely removed in a simple operation by supporting a paper transport apparatus in such a manner as to freely turn round one lateral end of transported paper and disposing turning means for positioning and locking the paper transport apparatus at a designated angle of rotation on the other lateral end of transported paper.
Furthermore, as discussed in Japan Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 11-160933, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus having the following structure is known. In this apparatus, first and second side plate members of a main body are arranged opposed in parallel with and in the carrying direction of a sheet so as to interpose a carrying belt carrying the sheet along plural image forming parts arranged in parallel in the main body. Then, exposure means arranged at the respective image forming parts so as to expose image carriers arranged at the respective image forming parts are fixed to the first and the second side plate members of the main body. Besides, sheet carrying means having the belt, a driving roller obtained by laying the belt and a driven roller is fitted to the main body so as to be freely drawn out. By engaging both end parts of the carrying means in the carrying direction of the sheet with the first and the second side plate members, the carrying means is positioned and fixed to the main body.
Furthermore, as discussed in Japan Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2001-139176, an image forming apparatus having the following structure is known. This image forming apparatus is characterized to be constituted so that bearing parts of a drive roller and a driven roller stretching the transfer material conveyance face of a transfer material conveyance belt are directly pressured against and engaged with fitting position reference faces formed in edge parts of side plates where the transfer material is formed of sheets.
Furthermore, as discussed in Japan Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-94744, an inkjet printer having the following structure is known. This inkjet printer is characterized by having a printer head in a fixed position, a print paper conveyance unit configured to convey a print paper along a head surface of the printer head, a conveyance unit elevating mechanism configured to move the print paper conveyance unit up and down relative to the head surface of the printer head, and a gap adjustment device in which a gap between the print paper conveyance unit and the head surface of the printer head is adjusted.
In the image forming apparatus, like the above-mentioned ink jet recording apparatus, having a structure where the carriage having the recording head is moved for scanning and the paper is conveyed by the conveyance belt, if the gap between the recording head and the conveyance belt is not fixed, an error in the position at which the liquid drop is received is generated. Hence, gap precision between the recording head and the conveyance belt is important for forming a high quality image. Because of this, the conveyance belt and a guide rod configured to guide scanning movement of the carriage or inclination in the paper conveyance direction of the carriage should be positioned to be parallel at high precision.
In the related art inkjet recording apparatus using the conveyance belt, as discussed in Japan Laid-Open Patent Application Publications No. 11-348373 and No. 2003-94744, the gap adjustment can be done but exchanging the conveyance belt is not expected to be required.
In a case of a personal type inkjet printer for an individual, the printer can be taken to a factory for exchanging the belt. However, in a case of a multiple function processing machine including an inkjet recording apparatus for office use, it is preferable that the belt can be exchanged periodically and a service person change the belt as a consumption articles when performing maintenance near the user, so that degradation of image quality due to extension, friction and damage to the conveyance belt can be prevented.
As discussed above, it is required in the inkjet recording apparatus that the conveyance belt and a guide rod configured to guide scanning move of the carriage or inclination in the paper conveyance direction of the carriage should be positioned in parallel at high precision. However, in the related art inkjet recording apparatus, it is difficult to exchange the conveyance belt. Even if the service person exchanges the conveyance belt near the user, precision cannot be guaranteed